It certainly is today, especially regarding the Lebanon situation. My gut instincts are with the Israelis. One comment somewhere that I've read resonated with me. "Think what would happen if the Palestinians were suddenly deprived of their weapons. And think of what would happen if the Israelis were suddenly deprived of theirs." Like several people, including Iain Dale I'm afraid of this becoming another August 1914. Although there are some folk in America who apparently would welcome Armageddon.
In Baghdad , things seem to get worse. According to Baghdad Burning:
Buses, planes and taxis leaving the country for Syria and Jordan are booked solid until the end of the summer. People are picking up and leaving en masse and most of them are planning to remain outside of the country. Life here has become unbearable because it's no longer a 'life' like people live abroad. It's simply a matter of survival, making it from one day to the next in one piece and coping with the loss of loved ones and friends- friends like T.
It's difficult to believe T. is really gone… I was checking my email today and I saw three unopened emails from him in my inbox. For one wild, heart-stopping moment I thought he was alive. T. was alive and it was all some horrific mistake! I let myself ride the wave of giddy disbelief for a few precious seconds before I came crashing down as my eyes caught the date on the emails- he had sent them the night before he was killed. One email was a collection of jokes, the other was an assortment of cat pictures, and the third was a poem in Arabic about Iraq under American occupation. He had highlighted a few lines describing the beauty of Baghdad in spite of the war… And while I always thought Baghdad was one of the more marvelous cities in the world, I'm finding it very difficult this moment to see any beauty in a city stained with the blood of T. and so many other innocents…
But two weeks holiday in Cyprus and a reading of a few blogs doesn't justify me pontificating on the Middle East.
So I think I'll go back to where I started - 1970s music. And the bitter Graham Parker and the Rumour's Don't Ask me Questions:
Well, I stand up for liberty, but I can't libera-ate, uhh
And pent up agony-y-y-y-y, I see you take first place
Well, who does this treachery
I shout with bleedin' ha-a-nds
Is it you or is it me, well, I never will understand
Hey Lord, don't ask me questions
Hey Lord, don't ask me questions
Hey Lord, don't ask me questions, Plea-ease, no-no-no-no-no-no
(Hey Lord) Hey Lord, don't ask me questions
(Hey Lord) Hey Lord, don't ask me questions
(Hey Lord) Hey Lord, ain't no answer in me
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